Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

The answer is no. With all due respect, that is a juvenile question. It is a juvenile question that completely ignores the challenges and the opportunities we have in front of us as a nation. Firstly, for the good news. We are here, at the heart of the Asia-Pacific, able to take advantage of the opportunities that come from being in the part of the world where most of the global economic growth will be generated for the next few decades. We are also dealing with global economic headwinds. You would have to be under a rock in order not to realise that there has been a change in demand out of China for iron ore and that there has been a related effect on a commodity that represents about 20 per cent of our national export income.

The truth of the matter is that this government, the Turnbull government, building on the progress made under the Abbott government, is working every day to put Australia on a stronger economic and fiscal foundation for the future. We are not getting any help from those opposite. In fact, those opposite want to hit the economy for six by bringing back the turbo charge carbon tax. (Time expired)